OFFSTAGE: Toby Keith Markets New Aphrodisiac

(CMT Offstage keeps a 24/7 watch on everything that’s happening with country music artists behind the scenes and out of the spotlight.)

OK. Maybe he’s not actually marketing the aphrodisiac. But it is still there, allegedly, right inside the worm which is right at the bottom of every bottle of Toby Keith‘s new Wild Shot Mezcal
. What is mezcal? A drink so good, its makers say it will make tequila tasteless. I remember reading in The New York Times
that this kind of drink had a distinctive smokiness, is saltier than tequila and is more artisanal, whatever that means. And this particular mezcal, which is Keith’s brand new handcrafted 100 percent green agave spirit, is “con gusano,” which means “with worm.” Now, some people will tell you the worm at the bottom of a bottle of mezcal is just a gimmick. Some will tell you it is good for your spirit or that it’s a Mexican delicacy. But all my research points to the worm as an aphrodisiac. So once Keith’s mezcal hits the market, I’m willing to give it a try. I mean, better this than oysters, Spanish fly and deer antlers, right?